Tauranga gets hit with coldest day of the year so far

A southwesterly wind chill makes for the coldest day of 2018 so far in Tauranga. Photo/File

A southwesterly wind and a drop in temperature have made for Tauranga's coldest day of 2018.

MetService meteorologist Lisa Murray said the temperature recorded at Tauranga Airport at 10am was 8C but would feel colder due to the wind chill factor.

The temperature was slowly warming up and was expected to get to a high of 17C throughout the day.

Murray said Tauranga residents would be feeling the chill after a "significant change" in temperature.

January this year was the warmest on record for more than 100 years where 22.1C was the mean air temperature for the month, 2.6C higher than normal.

Showers were expected in Tauranga later this afternoon with a chance of thunderstorms and possibly hail, Murray said.

The temperature was expected to drop to 6C overnight tonight but would sit at 12C overnight on Thursday.